
NOTE.—"The wind is heard among the branches of the trees, rustling the
leaves and flowers; yet it is invisible, and no man knows whence it comes, or
whither it goes. So with the work of the Holy Spirit upon the heart. It can
no more be explained than can the movements'of the wind. A person may not
be able to tell the exact time or place, or to trace all the circumstances in the
process of conversion;- but this does not prove him to be unconverted. By an
agency as unseen as the wind, Christ is constantly working upon the heart.
Little by little, perhaps unconsciously to the receiver, impressions are made
that tend to draw the soul to Christ. These may be received through medi-
tating upon Him, through reading the Scriptures, or through hearing the word
from the living preacher. Suddenly, as the Spirit comes with more direct
appeal, the soul gladly surrenders itself to Jesus. By many this is called sud-
den conversion; but it is the result of long wooing 'by the Spirit of God,—a
patient, protracted process."="The
Desire of Ages,"
p. 172.
6.
By what question did Nicodemus show that he did not fully com-
prehend Jesus' instruction? In what kindly way did Jesus point out the
lack in the experience of His visitor? Verses 9, 10.
7.
What further positive statement did Jesus make? Verse 11.
8.
What had Nicodemus failed to understand? Verses 12, 13.
NOTE.—"But as Jesus explained that His mission on earth was to establish
a spiritual instead of a temporal kingdom, His hearer was troubled. Seeing
this, Jesus added, `If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how
shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?' If Nicodemus could not
receive Christ's teaching, illustrating the work of grace upon the heart, how
could he comprehend the nature of His glorious heavenly kingdom? Not dis-
cerning the nature of Christ's work on earth, he could not understand His
work in heaven."—Id., p. 173.
9.
To what ancient experience, familiar to Nicodemus, did Jesus refer
as a type of His own great sacrifice? Verses 14, 15.
NOTE.—Nicodemus now saw "that the most rigid obedience to the mere
letter of the law as applied to the outward life, could entitle no man to enter
the kingdom of heaven. In the estimation of men, his life had been just and
honorable; but in the presence of Christ he felt that his heart was unclean,
and his life unholy. . . . The symbol of the uplifted serpent made plain to
him the Saviour's mission."—Id., p. 174.
10.
How did the Father reveal the depth of His love for the world?
For what purpose did the Son of God come into the world? Verses 16, 17.
NoTE.—"In the parable the shepherd goes out to search for one sheep,—
the very least that can be numbered. So if there had been but one lost soul,
Christ would have died for that
one."—"Christ's Object Lessons,"
p. 187.
11.
How does faith or unbelief affect the results in individual cases?
Verse 18.
NoTE.—The negative in this scripture ought to be emphasized. Jesus did
not come to condemn the world, for the world, because of sin, is condemned
already. He came to save from the condemnation of sin.
12.
What is the condemnation of the world? Why do men love dark-
ness and hate light? Who only comes to the light? Verses 19-21.
NoTE.—"The words spoken at night to one listener in the lonely mountain
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